FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) – The woman who conned a local man by pretending to be country music star Alison Krauss was sentenced in Washington County Circuit Court on Thursday (April 16) to 15 years probation, according to the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
In addition to having the term of her probation extended from eight to 15 years, Peggy Sue Evers also was ordered to continue paying restitution to her victim, Fayetteville resident Don Fulton. Evers had owed Fulton more than $72,000 but now owes about $64,000, said David Bercaw, deputy prosecuting attorney. Evers also was order to have no contact with her victim.
Evers appeared Thursday afternoon before Judge Joanna Taylor.
Evers, 54, of New Mexico was charged with failure to appear after skipping a scheduled court hearing in September 2014, authorities said. She was arrested in New Mexico and booked at the Bernalillo Metropolitan Detention Center in October after a warrant was issued for her arrest.
In January 2015, Evers pleaded guilty in Washington County Circuit Court to theft by deception. She received eight years probation and was ordered to pay nearly $73,000 in restitution to her elderly victim and to return his vehicles within 60 days. Evers also signed the deed to his house back over to him.
In March, she violated the terms of her probation by not returning the victim’s vehicles within 60 days of her guilty plea, according to court documents
Police said Evers convinced the 75-year-old Fulton that she was Krauss and got him to sign his $245,000 home over to her in 2013. His bank account also fell by $40,000, according to an arrest warrant affidavit in Washington County Circuit Court.
Fulton later told police he believed Evers was Krauss and that she had changed her name to escape the paparazzi. He also said he signed his home over to Evers so that she could put it in Fulton’s son’s name.
Investigators also discovered that Evers had changed Fulton’s will to give her his money in the event of his death, according to the arrest warrant affidavit. Evers gained control of Fulton’s home by alleging meritless battery accusations against Fulton, police said.
